Parachute



May 10, 1932. M. TINTORE PARACHUTE Filed April 27, 1931 f5 INVENTOR. 9W 771/. m

uWfw W,

v ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 10, 1932 I PATENT OFFICE I IGNACIQ M. TINTOR'E, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAJEJFORNIA PARAOHUTE Application filed April 27,

This invention relates to a parachute and especially to an automatically actuated spreader to insure positive opening of the lower open end of the chute when released.-

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of parachutes to provide a chute which is adapted to be folded in a bag or pack and applied to'a person in the usual manner; to provide a spreader member which is adapted to lie flat between the folds of the chute when this is folded and which is adapted to be swung to a horizontal position crosswise of the mouth of the chute so as to insure positive spreading and opening of the loweropen end of the chute when starting descent;

to provide a spreader member which is attached both to the chute and the belt or body harness so that the weight of the person secured in the harness will be utilized to spring the spreaderto spreading position; and, further, to provide a spreader of the character describedwhich can be readily attached to standard forms of chutes.

One mode of attaching the spreader member to a chute is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- F ig..1 is a side elevation partially in section of the chute showing the spreader member in a position where it has spread and opened the lower end of the chute at the time descent is started.

Fig. 2 shows the position of the chute during descent when it is fully spread.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the chute on. a reduced" scale. Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates the sail or cloth of the-chute which may be constructed of silk or any other suitable fabric.

B indicates the shrouds attached to the peripheral ed e of the sail, or otherwise, G the,

harness web ing and D the harness in which the person using the chute is secured.

The chute is provided with the usual central opening F to insure stability during descent and it may be provided with a pilot chute not here illustrated. Secured within the chute by means of a plurality of shrouds such :as shown at 2 is a ring shaped spreader 1931. Serial N0. 533,108.

as previously stated, the bag being placed either on the seat of the wearer, the lap, or the back as desired.

In actual operation if a person is equipped with a chute such as here shown he will leave .the balloon or plane in the usual manner by jumping free of the same and then possibly counting to five before he pulls the rip cord. In so doing he releases the pilot chute and this in turn pulls the main chute out of the pack. The weight of the person using the chute is of course considerably greater than the chute, together with the shrouds B attached thereto, and the chute will accordingly trail behind the user. In so doing the weight of the body pulls on the shrouds & and thus swings the spreader ring 3 to a horizontal position crosswise of the mouth or lower open end of the chute as shown in Fig. 1, thereby positively spreading and opening the mouth of the chute a sufficient distance to insure complete opening of the same.

The spreader is merely an attachment and as such can be attached to any standard form of. chute. When the chute is folded the spreader ring will lie fiat between the folds of the chute at a point adjacent the mouth or lower end of the same and as such does not interfere with the folding and packing of the chute into a bag or pack.

The spreader is, in this instance, shown as ring-shaped, see Fig. 3. This is possibly the best shape'but it is obvious that it might be square, or triangular, or otherwise shaped if desired, the main function being that of providing means actuated by the weight of the falling body to pull or swing the spreader into a position crosswise of the mouth of the chute where it will initially-spread and open the same sufliciently to permit air to enter and thereby completely open the chute.

While-certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described,

I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly, that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

' Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a parachute having the usual sail and shrouds connecting the outer edge thereof with a harness, a spreader consisting essentially of a rigid ring shaped member, said spreader being connected to the sail solely by shrouds secured to the sail at a point sub-' stantially midway between the centerand outer edge of the sail, and shrouds connecting the spreader with the harness.

2. In a parachute having the usual sail and shrouds connecting the outer edges thereof with a harness, a spreader consisting essentially of a rigid ring-shaped member, said spreader being connected to the sail solely by shrouds secured to the sail at a point substantially midway between its center and outer edge.

' IGNAOIO M. TINTOBE. 

